


In Vino Veritas

by AkashaTheKitty, DramioneFanfictionForum



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Co-workers, Drinking, F/M, Post-Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:08:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26971165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AkashaTheKitty/pseuds/AkashaTheKitty, https://archiveofourown.org/users/DramioneFanfictionForum/pseuds/DramioneFanfictionForum
Summary: “I’m in a bar. Drinking. Alone. And that’s when you choose to bother me.”“Because you’re in a bar. Drinking. Alone. And you look miserable while doing it.”That was depressingly accurate. “So you thought you’d add to the misery?”“They do say misery loves company.”
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 29
Kudos: 280
Collections: DFF & Cabal Modmin Drabble Prizes





	In Vino Veritas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Talonwillow (TalonWillow)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TalonWillow/gifts).



> This was written as a prize for [Talon Willow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ehollis303/pseuds/Talonwillow) for Hermione's Birthday aesthetic contest over at [Dramione Fanfiction Forum](https://www.facebook.com/groups/DramioneFanFictionForum) on Facebook. It was written based on this aesthetic made by her: 
> 
> The alpha beta zeta theta omegas for this piece are my lovely fellow DFF Modmins [dreamsofdramione](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bugggghead/pseuds/dreamsofdramione) and [iwasbotwp](https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwasbotwp/pseuds/iwasbotwp).

Hermione smacked her hand down on the bar top and tried to ignore the stickiness against her palm. “Another!” she demanded.

The barman obliged with barely a glance.

Hermione smiled sardonically. A decade ago, he would have been trying to chat her up. But as each year passed, she seemed to become more and more invisible to men. Her best years were long gone, and for what? A combative ex-husband and two children who could barely find the time to owl her. Much as she hated to admit it, she was feeling rather lonely.

She emptied her drink. “Another!” She only waved this time, deciding not to take more chances with the mystery substance.

Someone slid onto the stool next to her. “Imagine that. The illustrious Miss Granger getting shitfaced.”

She didn’t even have to look up to see who was making a nuisance of himself, but for lack of a better reply, she opened her mouth and let out a loud burp. Then she giggled.

Malfoy sighed. “That wasn’t very ladylike of you, Granger.”

That only earned him a one-shouldered shrug. “I’m done being ladylike.” What was the point, anyway, when she was invisible?

“So you’ll show up at the Ministry and burp in the opposition’s face? That I gotta see.” He ordered a drink from the indifferent barman for himself. Apparently Malfoy wasn’t his type either. Hermione suppressed another giggle.

“One, I didn’t burp in your face,” she pointed out. “And two, you can have situational awareness without being ladylike. Not that I’d expect you to understand that.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m in a bar. Drinking. Alone. And that’s when you choose to bother me.”

“Because you’re in a bar. Drinking. Alone. And you look miserable while doing it.”

That was depressingly accurate. “So you thought you’d add to the misery?”

“They do say misery loves company.”

Hermione snorted an unwilling laugh at that. Then she took another swig of her drink, because she didn’t know what else to do. She really wasn’t certain why Malfoy was engaging her. Not that they were exactly enemies these days. He’d denounced his family’s old ways and was working to build a bridge between the traditionalists and the modernists. She could respect that. Yet, that didn’t exactly mean they got along. Most of the time he was his usual annoying, arrogant self, but right now he seemed… friendly. Or at least the Malfoy version of friendly. She didn’t know what to make of it—what to make of him.

“Relax, Granger. This isn’t some devious plot.”

“That’s exactly what someone with a devious plot would say.”

Now it was his turn to crack a smile. “Would you believe me if I told you I was simply curious?”

“Curiosity killed the cat.”

“And satisfaction brought it back,” he deadpanned.

She glanced at him. Usually when she saw him at the Ministry, he was highly polished, wearing traditional formal wizarding robes. For his night out, however, he had relaxed his standards, wearing a dress shirt. A single lock of his carefully styled hair had come loose and was teasing his forehead.

He looked up, caught her assessing him, and smirked. It was a highly annoying look on him. She’d definitely had too much to drink, because as their eyes locked, she suddenly felt like the room started spinning, and she had to break contact before she made a fool of herself by falling head first into him.

“What about you?” she deflected. “I can’t imagine you go bar hopping often.”

“I wouldn’t exactly call going to one bar ‘hopping’.”

“Evasive.”

“Show me yours and I’ll show you mine.” His smirk never wavered.

“Bold of you to assume you have anything to show that I want to see.” She smirked right back at him.

“You know, Granger, I can’t quite decide if you’re flirting with me or trying to start a fight.”

That shocked Hermione out of her inebriated state. Somewhat. She blinked. Then she blinked again. “Flirting?” she then burst out. “I’m too old to flirt.”

He raised an eyebrow.

Belatedly, she realised that sounded like her age was the only reason she wasn’t flirting. “I mean… of course not! Why would I… We... I’m just… That is... Oh, stuff it, Malfoy.” She was embarrassingly aware of the heat in her cheeks.

By now he was positively shaking with pent-up laughter.

She decided it would be best if she left. At least then she might make it out with some dignity intact.

She got to her feet and started gathering her belongings, pausing to drop a pile of coins on the bartop, but before she could escape, she felt a hand on her arm. The warmth seeped through her clothes and into her skin, entering her blood stream, where it spread, wreaking all kinds of havoc on her insides.

Yep, she was definitely too drunk for whatever _this_ was.

“Don’t go,” he said. “I’ll be good.”

“That won’t help much since apparently I’m not.”

He grinned. “I have to admit, I sort of like bad Granger.”

“I bet you do,” she muttered. “Gives you plenty of ammunition for the future.”

“Yes, that’s true. But…” He hesitated, then looked at where his hand laid on her arm, and almost pensively he moved the thumb in a tiny caress that made her want to scream with this strange new frustration. “Isn’t it sometimes good to be bad?”

“Depends how you feel about hangovers.” She was somehow unable to breathe regularly.

“Hmm.” He slowly moved his hand down her arm in what amounted to a long caress that almost made her moan. “Perhaps we should revisit this when you’re sober.”

He stepped away, leaving a void where he’d just been a moment before. _Bastard_. She attempted to look unaffected.

“Goodnight then, Malfoy.” She took her things and turned to leave.

“Goodnight. Oh, and Granger?” He waited for her to turn back around and then held her gaze. “Happy birthday.”

She gaped at him. But before she could find the words to ask him how and _why_ he knew, he’d paid the barman, winked at her, and walked to the Floo.


End file.
